Friday 16 November

The People's Millions - who should you vote for?

You might have thought that recent controversies would have sounded the death knell for TV voting, but ITV and the National Lottery don't think so. Together, they're running an enterprise called The People's 50 Millions - where viewers choose which of four projects will receive a £50m lottery grant.

The Black Country bid promises "a package of improvements along five canals... making them integral extensions of the open spaces and parks which they pass alongside". In practice, this means three new bridges so local people can get to their canals more easily, and new visitor moorings in Wolverhampton. Meanwhile, the Dudley Tunnel complex will be extended by reopening the Seven Sisters mine and connecting tunnels: there's no suggestion that narrowboaters will be able to take their own craft in, but a new visitor centre will offer skippered boat trips.

Voting starts in ten days' time. If you're a Blackcountryman (or woman), you'll clearly be rooting for the Wolverhampton project: similarly, if you moor near any of the canals in Sustrans' plans (or support any of these restorations), you've probably already decided to give them your vote. What of the rest of us?

The Black Country scheme has the "big bang" appeal, and visitor moorings on the BCN are of course sorely needed. The Sustrans proposals, it's fair to say, will see more benefits to the waterway system as a whole with everywhere from London to the Rochdale Canal set to benefit. But with the Eden Project the undisputed front-runner, both projects need good support from waterway enthusiasts in order to have a chance of success.

It's a difficult decision. Happily, you don't have to choose. The voting guidelines will allow one vote from each phone number, and one from each e-mail address. So if you have a landline and a mobile phone, or home and work e-mail addresses, there's nothing stopping you for voting for both canal-related projects.

Thursday 15 November

Today's news from the web

Water taxis could be floating through Preston along an extended Lancaster Canal before 2012, it has been claimed. Preston's council has revealed that the plans to create a water-based transport network is vital to cutting congestion in the city. ...

The final phase of a new £20 million canal route in Merseyside is underway. It is Britain's first new water route for 100 years and means that boats will be able to navigate the Leeds-Liverpool canal straight into the Albert Docks. ...

Canalside bars and cafes will breathe new life into Wolverhampton city centre as part of a £200 million transformation, the Express & Star can reveal today. ...

Wednesday 14 November

Falkirk Helix wins the Lottery

Falkirk is to get another out-of-the-ordinary canal link following the long-awaited Living Landmarks lottery award.

The Falkirk Helix project is one of three to share in a £70m jackpot. The scheme will see a new link built from the Forth & Clyde to the tidal Forth estuary - long seen as the biggest obstacle to encouraging more sea-going boats onto the Forth & Clyde Canal. An unusual 'Kelpie' sculpture, pictured, is part of the design.

The news, though, is bad luck for the Cotswold Canals. The restorers were hoping for a share of the lottery winnings to reconnect the canal at Stonehouse, currently under restoration, to the main system at Saul Junction. But although the scheme got through to the final shortlist, it was not one of the three winners. (The other two winners are regeneration schemes in Cornwall and Belfast.)

There is now just one Living Landmarks award to go - the top £50m prize, which will be decided by popular vote. Two canal-related projects are in with a chance: the Black Country Urban Park, which will reopen part of the Dudley Tunnel system, and Sustrans' Connect2, which will build new bridges over dozens of waterways. They are pitted against the Eden Project and Sherwood Forest.

Today's news from the web

A DISPUTE between two canal boat owners in Trowbridge has led to one man facing a community penalty for using threatening behaviour. ...

Tuesday 13 November

Welcome to the Waterways World website

We're delighted to unveil Waterways World's long-awaited website.

Like every other magazine website, waterwaysworld.com has details of what's in the current issue and how to subscribe - but we're aiming for the site to be a little bit more useful than that.

We'll be adding regular updates of what's new around the waterways world; selections from our photo archives; and commentary, both informative and light-hearted. We've also put the full WW index online, listing 30,000 articles over 35 years. Converting the old paper-based index to a searchable database hasn't been without its hiccups and it still has the occasional discrepancy, but we're continuing to work on ironing these out.

Selected articles are available as PDF downloads and we'll be adding many more of these. And we're continuing to work on more features for the site, such as an online waterway map... but we hope you enjoy what's here so far. You can let us know what you think by sending an e-mail, or use the comments section below.

Today's news from the web

A Calne community group is calling on people to pick up their phones and vote for it to win a share of £7.8 million. The Castlefields Canal and River Park Association has reached the final of The People's Millions Lottery TV contest and will make a plea for funds on ITV West on November 26. The group will go head to head in a public vote with The Waterways Trust, which hopes to restore the walls of an 18th century canal port in the Cotswolds. ...

Another iconic lock cottage has come up for sale. This time it's one of the 6 famous 'barrel-roofed' cottages on the Stratford Canal: Kingswood Cottage, Dicks Lane, Rowington (the lock cottage at Lapworth Lock 25). ...

Monday 12 November

Today's news from the web

Following the major breach on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal at Gilwern on 16th October, there is therefore every likelihood that the affected stretch of canal will not be available for cruising next year....

Firecrews were called to a barge fire on the Grand Union canal by Red Lion Lane, Hemel Hempstead last night(Sunday, November 11) just before midnight. Firefighters from Kings Langley and Garston used a jet and light weight pump to extinguish the fire which took 30 minutes to put out. The dredging barge is a notorious eyesore often used as a dumping ground. ...

Sunday 11 November

Today's news from the web

Waterways officials are urging canal boat owners to undertake regular and thorough checks of their vessels to ensure they are safe – both when travelling and moored. British Waterways Wales & Border Counties has been actively promoting a holistic approach to safety and responsible boating practice – including fire prevention, engine checks and safe boating out and about along canals. ...

The Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs joined VIP’s and two knights in full armour at Clarence Dock on Friday 2 November to officially unveil the new name for the iconic bridge which spans the River Aire and the Aire & Calder Navigation near the Royal Armouries Museum. ...